Arkea Ultim Challenge: Caudrelier on course for a new single-handed record

Before the start, Charles Caudrelier was still sceptical, but when asked in the YACHT interview whether the record would be broken, he was pretty sure that François Gabart's best time for the fastest single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the world from 2017 could not be beaten:

I think that's very unlikely. As we have a fixed launch date, the weather will not be ideal for getting across the equator and to the Southern Ocean as quickly as possible. On our last Jules Verne attempt, we waited all winter for a good weather window to set a record! You first need a North Atlantic that's not too stormy, then a phase in which the band of Doldrums is as narrow as possible and, last but not least, a low-pressure area off Brazil when you get there. To be honest, I think the chances of that are almost zero"

That looks very different now: Yesterday, the clock for his crossing of the Indian Ocean stopped at Cape Agulhas at 8 days, 8 hours and 20 minutes. That corresponds to an average speed of 30.7 knots. This makes him the fastest single-handed skipper ever to have completed this route. And Caudrelier is now also well ahead of François Gabart's best time, who set the record for the fastest single-handed circumnavigation of the world in 2017 with his "Macif". It took him a whole day from the starting line to the cape, 8 hours and 25 minutes less than Gabart.

As the rules of the Arkea Challenge allowed the boats to start according to the rules of the WSSC, he would not only win the race when he crossed the finish line, but also set a new, recognised record. Team Gitana is therefore right on schedule, and Caudrelier is living up to his reputation as the race favourite.

Meanwhile, at the back of the field in Cape Town, where the teams are now almost stepping on each other's toes, Anthony Marchand has returned to the race with his "Actual Ultim". During his 24-hour stop, the team completely removed the port foil, which had been destroyed in a collision, and checked the boat for damage before the Frenchman set sail again. On his way into the Indian Ocean, he passed Éric Péron's "Adagio", which came towards him and also had to stop due to a broken rudder bar.

Marchand's re-start is not going to be easy: a high pressure area with a headwind lies directly in front of him. He has to circumnavigate it and will lose a lot of time, he is more than a whole ocean behind, around 5,500 nautical miles. Of course, he is now also significantly slower, especially in good foil conditions, as "Actual Ultim" can no longer fly stably.

Meanwhile, Armel Le Cléac'h and his "Banque Populaire XI" are slowly but steadily working their way towards second-placed Thomas Coville. Although he is able to use his second foil again after a successful repair, the runner-up has already reduced the distance from around 1,700 miles to just under 700. Le Cléac'h seems determined to take second place, but the gap to the leader is still huge at 2,700 miles. Click here for the tracker.

It will be interesting to see whether the race becomes a little more exciting again, as it currently looks as if Charles Caudrelier could run into a high with less wind in the Pacific. Perhaps the two chasers will be lucky and can reduce the gap again.

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